Atomizer for coloring pictures



(No Model.)

L. L. CURTIS,

ATOMIZER FOR COLORING PICTURES. No. 248,579. Patented Oct. 25,1881.

FIG. 5.

IN EINTO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATOMIZER FOR COLORING PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,579, dated October 25, 1881.

Application filed May 9, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE L. CURTIS, of Cape Elizabeth, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Atomizers for 001- oring Pictures; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention attached to a bottle. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective. Fig. 3 is a side sectional elevation. Fig. 4a is a section of the air-tube, the liquidtube, and of the pipe through which the air is forced into the air-tube. Fig. 5 is an end view of the nozzle. Fig. 6 is a section of the nozzle. Fig. 7 is a section of a modification of Fig. 6.

Same letters show like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a device for the easy, accurate, and rapid distribution of coloring and shading upon drawings and paintings. The coloring-matter is contained in a bottle or properreceptacle, to, whose mouth is closed with a plug or stopper, 1). Upon this plug or stopper I attach my device.

The invention consists in the combination of a nozzle or delivering device of a peculiar character, of an air-tube, a liquid-tube, and any convenient and well-known means, like a bellows or elastic bulb, for supplying and forcing the air into the air-tube.

The coloring-matter is delivered or projected upon the picture in the form of fine spray. The color is prepared in any of the usual methods, and is held in the bottle or receptacle a in a liquid state. The air passing over the upper end and aperture of the liquid-tube 0 draws up the liquid from the bottle after the manner of ordinary atomizers, which operation I do not, of course, claim. The air also separates the liquid into a fine spray, and carries it through the hollow of the nozzle (1, by the small end of which its course is directed, and by which it is delivered onto the picture.

6 represents a pipe through which air is forced into the air-tube, and f is the air-tube itself. The rear end of this tube is supplied with a number of holes, 9. It is also provided with a fine-pointed rod, g. The hole of the air-tube is made tapering at the forward end, as can be seen in the drawings. The rod g fits this taper at its point, and so by being pushed farther in or drawn back controls the amount of air discharged upon the liquid ascending the liquid-tube o. By this device the fineness of the color-spray can be very accurately and nicely regulated by the artist.

The quantity of coloring-liquid delivered by the color-tube or liquid-tube c is uniform; but the condition of it when delivered upon the picture is a very important matter, and my device above described is to aid in controlling such condition. The holes in the rear end of the air-tube are to keep the delivery of the spray completely within the operators management. The holes are covered by the thumb of the hand with which he holds the device and bottle. When so covered the device continues to deliver the spray through the nozzle. When the thumb is removed from these holes the air passing out much more easily through this number of apertures than through the fine aperture of the point or other end does so pass out, and thus ceases to exhaust the air from the liquid-tube and fill the liquid-tube. Removing the thumb from one or two of the holes diminishes, upon the same principle, the amount of spray delivered onto the picture. Thus the operator has with his thumb and these holes the power of regulating or stopping the amount of coloring-matter delivered; and, furthermore, after the thumb has been removed, replacing it after a short interval will cause the device promptly to resume discharging the coloring-matter again.

The nozzle d is of the following construction: It has the head h, which head has the springs t'. These springs serve to hold the tapering part j onto the head, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) if required. The points or removable parts are separately illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. The inner tubes are widest at that part which comes in contact with the head It, and have coverings fastened to them at their inner ends. These coverings extend a little beyond the ends of the tubes, and are there considerably larger in diameter than are the tubes. They haveapertures m for the exit of the spray, and the un der side serves as a conduit to conduct back into the bottle such of the coloring matter or liquid as clings either to the end of the inner tubes or strikes against the inside of the ends of the coverings. This is important, because without some appliance of this nature a drop of coloring-liquid collecting on the end of the inner tube would be quite likely to drop upon the paper or canvas, and so injure or perhaps 10 destroya picture. By my contrivance liability to such an accident is avoided. The coloring liquid, when thus caught and retained in the coverings It, is allowed to flow back, as indicated by the dotted line 1, through a hole in t5 the plug of the bottle into the bottle itself. a

shows the opening, Fig. 5, where the coloringliquid runs from the coverings 70 back into the hollow of the head h, from which it drops through an aperture, 0,in the head into a cup,

p, and from thence through the hole q into the bottle.

Diflerent inclinations and adjustments may be given to the nozzles by theadjusting apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

a is a rod passing up through the piece I) and pivoted to the bottom of the nozzle-covering it at 0. Through the piece 1) passes also the rod (1, fitted with a thread to work in a threaded socket in this piece. It is attached 0 to the lower side of the covering 70 by a balland-socket-joint, as seen in the drawings, Fig. 3. The rod a is held by a set-screw, 0, Figs. 1 and 2. By thesetwo rods the nozzle is adjusted. By the rod a it is raised and held at the de- 5 sired height. By the rod (1 the desired inclination is given to it.

The guard f serves to receive and arrest any drops or particles of the coloring spray or liquid that may rebound on striking against the sides of the aperture of the nozzle nearest 0 the head. I

It will be observed that the large opening of the head next the air and liquid tubes and the mouths of the tubes themselves are exposed to the air not covered in. This is an advan- 5 tage, because the nozzle is thereby kept drier than it would be it covered up, and this is also true of the end of the liquid-tube. Furthermore, the coloring matter or liquid is by this exposure to the dry air kept in that condition that it dries promptly when projected onto the picture, thus preventing flowing or running, especially where the coloring is heavy.

The nozzles, as will be seen, are removable from the head h. This is to enable the operator to readily fit nozzles with such sizes of bore as he may wish. Different parts of pictures require very difl'erent quantities of the coloring-liquid, and require to have it delivered in finer or coarser streams. This is regu- 6c lated by the sizes of the bores of the nozzles, which can be easily shifted on my head h.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the nozzle d, as herein described, with the liquid-tube c and air-tube f, fitted with its regulating-rod y and holes g in the rear end, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The nozzle d, with its inner tube and c0v- 7o ering, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

LESLIE L. CURTIS. WVitnesses WILLIAM HENRY CLIFFORD, JOHN P. KERRIGAN. 

